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Craig Gilroy claimed a brace of tries as Ulster opened their Guinness PRO14 season in style with an emphatic 38-14 bonus-point win over the Ospreys at the Kingspan Stadium.<\/p>\nCraig Gilroy claimed a brace of tries as Ulster opened their Guinness PRO14 season in style with an emphatic 38-14 bonus-point win over the Ospreys at the Kingspan Stadium.<\/p>\n
The home side also claimed tries from back-rower Greg Jones and full-back Matt Faddes, the new signing from New Zealand who crossed on his competitive debut for the Irish province.<\/p>\n
Ulster\u2019s other score was a late penalty try awarded after Faddes was impeded trying to dive on a ball over the Ospreys\u2019 line.<\/p>\n
The Welsh side\u2019s scorers were Dan Evans, who got their only try, and three Luke Price penalties which all came in a first half which ended with Ulster leading 21-14.<\/p>\n
Ulster made one late change to their starting line-up with Jordi Murphy withdrawn in what was believed to be a precaution as he could yet be called out to the Ireland\u2019s World Cup squad in Japan should Jack Conan not recover from a foot injury.<\/p>\n
Price kicked the Ospreys into an early lead with a fourth-minute penalty.<\/p>\n
The visitors also scored the first try of the game when full-back Evans went over \u2013 the score being awarded by the TMO \u2013 though Price missed the extras.<\/p>\n
John Cooney then unusually missed a 10th-minute penalty but, three minutes later, Ulster got off the mark through Gilroy following a kick pass from Billy Burns. This time Cooney nailed the conversion via the post.<\/p>\n
But Price then landed a monster penalty from halfway to push the Welsh region ahead by four points.<\/p>\n
However, Ulster struck back \u2013 with Ospreys\u2019 winger Luke Morgan in the bin \u2013 when Jones, who was called into the side after Murphy\u2019s withdrawal, drove over from close range and Cooney\u2019s conversion made it 14-11.<\/p>\n
Price\u2019s third penalty drew the teams level before Ulster finished the half by sending Faddes in at the corner after a terrific move with Cooney adding a superb touchline conversion to put the home side 21-14 in front.<\/p>\n
Cooney kicked a 45th-minute penalty to further increase Ulster\u2019s advantage and then Gilroy bagged the bonus point with Burns again providing the assist with another cross-kick.<\/p>\n
Cooney\u2019s conversion put Ulster 31-14 ahead and that became 38-14 after 70 minutes when the home side were awarded a penalty try.<\/p>\n